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Upgrade advice needed

Let me tell you my story.

Piece by piece, I've been gradually building an audiophile quality system.

My system is a Toshiba Laptop w/ J River playing FLAC files into a Wyred 4 Sound DAC-2. The laptop is dedicated exclusively as a music server. I've stripped most of the background processes from the Laptop and disconnected from the internet. The only external connections are the USB line to the DAC and a Mouse connected by the other USB connector

I don't have a preamp, the W4S DAC has onboard volume control.

I'm using a NAD 356 BEE Integrated amp but bypassing the preamp module and routing the DAC input directly to the power amp. The speakers are Vienna Acoustic Beethoven Baby Grands. I use LAT International SS-800 MkII 6 ft speaker cords and Pangea AC-14, 14 Gauge after market power cords for the NAD amp and the DAC. I installed Albert Porter Outlets. I do not have any power conditioners.

I live in an apartment so room treatments and dedicated circuit wires are out.

Musical tastes are primarily chamber music and some classic jazz of 1950s and 60s.

I listen near field - 6 feet from speakers and prefer moderate volume. I don't have much interest in Home theater or television in general.

My biggest source of frustration is the reproduction of violins and pianos. I recently ripped a CD of Bachs Violin Sonatas by Arthur Grumiaux. The sound is so harsh a cannot listen for more then 10 minutes.

My issue with pianos is the percussive aspect of the instrument seems to overwhelm the musical tone. I have a collection of Chopin Polonaises and it sounds like the artist is playing the piano keys with a hammer.

Other instruments sound better -- Cellos, brass, woodwinds, vocals.

I'm wondering what the next step in my upgrade evolution should be. I been intrigued by the First Watt line of amps. They seem to be a good fit for me. But, I don't know, will that address my issues with violins?

I could spend up to 5K now and, perhaps a year from now, I could swing another 5K for the next component

I'd welcome any suggestions.
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almarg
9,670 posts
 
What settings of the DAC's volume control do you typically find yourself using, within its 0 to 70 range? And how have you set "USB minimum volume level" and "USB maximum volume level" in its menus?

I'm envisioning that the DAC's volume control function is implemented digitally, in which case it is very conceivable that sound quality could degrade significantly if the control has to be set such that it introduces large amounts of attenuation (i.e., if it is used in the lower part of its range). That is sometimes referred to as "bit stripping."

Also, are any and all volume controls that may exist in the computer operating system and/or the playback software either disabled (i.e., out of the picture, so that they cannot control the volume), or else set at max?

Regards,
-- Al
elevick
2,638 posts
 
Do you have a solid state hard drive? It made a huge difference on my laptop with jriver. Faster, quieter and runs cooler.

Also, not only can an analogue volume control in a preamp be better at controlling the volume than the digital volume, the gain from a preamp will alleviate over-driving the amp or needing too much gain from the digital pre. I would set the DAC to a fixed volume out and use the NAD.
stewie
187 posts
 
Don't assume the problem is in your system. Pianos and violins often sound harsh live (pianos especially), and the "better" your system, the more you'll pick it up. Then too, recordings sometimes unwittingly add or just emphasize distortion in the upper register of the piano. Solo piano, especially starting with the octaves one or two above middle c, and especially classical piano, are a recording engineer's nightmare.
zd542
5,339 posts
 
Reading through all of this, the only thing I can see for certain is that you really don't know what the problem is. Sure, it can be the cables, amp, preamp, room acoustics, tubes, power, sources or speakers, but unless you have other components laying around that you can swap out, you may want to start eliminating some of the potential causes to your problem.

Looking at your system, I would say that using your PC as a source is the most likely place for something to go wrong. I would start there. Take the CD's that you ripped and find a CD or DVD player that has a digital out. Most do and it doesn't have to be anything expensive. Try using that as a transport going to your DAC instead of the computer. Don't change anything else. After trying that, was it a step in the right direction?
donjr
1,335 posts
 
The first thing I'd look into is what Almarg suggested about the volume settings because I had that happen to me once. It wasn't with my laptop but the volume remote for my integrated was turning up the volume control on my CDP and result was similar to what you're hearing.
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